Hi Guys,

Im a bit new to this whole malarky

Does anybody know if it is possible to get sponsored by an accountancy firm
to complete my accountancy qualification in Australia (Im thinking along the lines of a 457 visa). I have just completed my professional stage examinations.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

Dave

Have you got a degree?

Many thanks JAJ for taking the time to respond to my query. I have just got back from doing an audit so only just read it.

Yes, I graduated from Manchester University in July 2007 with a BA degree in Economics and Social Sciences. Hope this increases my chances?

Dave,

I work for a large accounting firm in the city (Melbourne) so I can answer your questions.

Technically it is not “impossible” to get sponsored by an accounting firm in Australia – the issue is more that in reality it never happens though (not in the sense you are asking). It is just not common practice within the Profession to do so as there is no logical reason for firms to “sponsor” young unqualified (not completed CA or CPA) people to come to Australia when young unqualified people can be readily recruited in Australia (qualified is a different story). In addition to the large number of overseas students that have completed their accounting degrees in Australia and want to stay which are dime a dozen (though poor English language skills are an issue).

However, having said that there are a lot of young people from overseas (especially UK) working in accounting firms, however they come via secondments/overseas transfers route with the firms that they already work for. As you will be aware it is common practice for young accountants to want to do an overseas assignment and many do. In this case, they are technically “sponsored” by the Australian office, however that is really just a legal procedure as in reality they are just regarded as an existing employee being transferred from one office to another.

So “employer sponsorship” is very common but the young people being sponsored are already employees of the firm – just in another country; not people recruited directly from overseas.

I assume as you have posted your question on this site that you do not work for one of the 1st tier firms (ie one of the Big 4) otherwise you would no doubt have spoken to your HR department about getting an overseas transfer?

I also assume that you do not qualify to come to Australia under your own steam as a normal skilled migrant and that is why you are looking for someone to sponsor you?

My suggestions if you are really wanting to get sponsored are:

If you work for a 2nd tier firm or smaller firm that is part of a global network/affiliation that you speak to the partners in your office and explain that you are wanting to work overseas and ask them to approach the Australian firms within the network directly on your behalf. If the partners in your firm speak to the partners of the Australian firms you would have a far, far better chance of getting them to sponsor you (and many do come via this form of contact). After all this is one of the main reason for belonging to an affiliation is to allow young accountants the opportunity to work overseas (and thus be able to compete for staff with the Big 4)!!

If your firm is not part of a global affiliation, again I would suggest that you speak to your partners to see if they have had any dealing with any firms in Australia say on a particular client matter and again if the partners can make an approach to the partners of the Australian firms on your behalf.

Or you could be really cheeky (you mentioned you worked in Audit) and see if any of your audit clients that you work on have Australian operations and if you have a good relationship with the client ask them to speak to the Australian firm handling the audit work – sure fire way to get sponsored – firms will do anything to keep clients happy!

Alternatively, you could try and get a job at a larger firm in the UK and then apply for an overseas transfer to the Australian office(s).

You could try and approach firms directly in Australia yourself, however I don’t see to many firm could be bothered to go through the process of sponsoring someone (unless referred to them).

Outside of the above, I cannot really offer you any other suggestions. If you can get a visa and come to Australia on your own bat and you are young firms will have no problem in hiring someone from the UK as there is no greater cost to continue to train you than someone locally of the same age (particularly in Audit as there is nominal country differences to put you behind others of the same age with regards to technical skills). It is still always hard to find good quality young candiates and that have good/clear english language skills.

Once you are in Australia and able to work you would normally not have any difficulty finding employment and it is standard practice for most employers to pay your CA or CPA programme course fees (however standard claw back of cost clauses usually applies if you should do a runner and go and work for someone else within a 1 year or so of the firm forking out the fees for your professional training).

You will need to also complete your bridging subjects (ie Austrealian corporate law and tax law (university undergraduate level subjects) ) and enrol to complete your CA (or CPA) professional qualification if you are not a full member of ICAEW already (still required to complete bridging subjects). Please be aware that if it is your intention to come to Australia either complete your ACA and be a full paid member before coming or don’t get to far done the track with it at all – otherwise you will waste your time doing a lot of the ACA programme only to have to complete the full CA programme once in Australia. With the ICAA and ICAEW it is an all or none approach – if you are fully qualified they will each mutually recognise it (on completion of bridging subjects) but if you are part way through the programme they do not give credits and you need to completed CA programme and exams from scratch.

Also Dave, for your information, please be aware that in the last 2 months a lot of accounting firms have put hiring freezes on and are only recruiting for specific roles that are vacant rather than recruiting general intake at each level.

I hope the above is of some help to you. If you have any questions or queries just post them and I will respond if I can.

Cheers,

Emma

Wow Emma. Welcome to the board and thanks for such a comprehensive reply.

Speaking as someone who qualified ACA in the UK and then got a transfer to Sydney (second tier firm) many years ago, that's what I'd advise Dave to do. Be patient, get your qualifications and then the world's your oyster! However if you can get a transfer arranged from the UK, try and get them to sponsor you for a permanent visa, not a 457. I didn't - I didn't know the first thing about the visa process as it was all done for me and the internet didn't even exist then - and I now suspect I could have got PR and then citizenship all those years ago which would have saved me having to apply for PR when I decided my future lay in Oz a couple of years ago, rather close to the 45 year deadline!

One correction of what Emma has said. If you are ACA qualified you no longer need to do bridging studies unless you need/want a Certificate of Public Practice http://www.charteredaccountants.com.au/A117137154. That said, I took the course at USQ and did my exam last week and I'm glad I did.

Thank you Emma and Louie for taking the time with a very informative reply. You have given me plenty to think about.

Subject to your points situation, have you investigated the possibility of general skilled migration with a 50 point occupation being nominated - eg Business and Information Processional (not elsewhere classified)?

Best regards.